Roundel Editor - Prior to Spartansburg Relocation

Hello,

Who was the Roundel editor prior to CCA's relocation to Spartansburg? Also, is there an online archive of Roundels?

Thanks

Thanks for the reply. I'm having a heated argument with Phil Marx on the MOA forum and I would love to have one of Yale's responses to a letter-to-the-editor. It was classic and very well stated......something to the effect that BMW will be in SC until the day that another third world country is stable enough for reliable business operations.

The current editor is doing a great job, but Rachlin set a very high standard.

Thanks

naw, not the whole country, just South Carolina...

Just kidding!!

We're on an intermediate step, above India and China, but definitely below the EU and Japan. Just compare the benefits packages for the BMW AG and BMW MFG employees.

This poster is engaging in an argument with himself on the MOA forums. Heated is something he's making up. Just like his facts. It's a peeing contest except this guy is only getting his own feet wet.

BTW, I am Phil Marx. I was the BMW CCA president who hired Yale Rachlin as Roundel editor, and first suggested moving the Club offices to Greenville.

There's no question that at that time many old-time CCA members in the Boston area weren't in favor of the idea. But then many of us weren't impressed with the cost of office space in the Cambridge area, either, that caused the Club to be housed in rent-controlled apartment space and living out of boxes and storage facilities. But this poster insists the Club moved to Greenville in order to reap promised benefits from BMW AG/NA. His contention, as stated in a reply there to C.R. was this:

Go ahead and find him whatever he wants. It will be enlightening to see how actual facts shape his internal conflicts he's expressing as opinions on the BMW clubs logo issue. Just wait for him to suggest BMW CCA should simply be known in the future as CCA, "Car Club of America" in order to prove our independence from BMW.

I also find the introduction of political opinion in the CCA forums something that should be discouraged if not purged. There's plenty of room on the Internet where we can hear soapbox proclamations. They don't need to and shouldn't invade our space here.

Wait; that was the 'heated argument'? Whaddya know! Of course, as a now-'Old Timer', I remember those years, knew Yale, and followed the move outta Cambridge. I think I lobbied for somewhere around Kansas City, as it would be more centrally-located, but Greenville is OK with me. Anything not to have to drive anywhere near Boston.

Actually, I think it was my semi-facetious suggestion that we purge all our vehicles of BMW roundels as a protest against changing (yet again) our club logos on their (BMW's) whim. He just took it a step further. He was serious about that?

Oh, I dunno, Phil. As long as it's club politics ...

I agree!

I just don't want to get into a discussion about whether the USA is a third-world nation, who caused the current depression, or why the same Pharma that passed laws banning competitive pricing on Medicare prescription drugs is running ads on my TV to convince seniors that health-care reform will cost them money.

I can get that kind of drivel on MyE28.com.

Just a slight OT - I'm too new as a club member to remember Yale, but I'm sure he did a fine job. On the other hand, I started reading Satch when he wrote for Autoweek, and his columns were unpredictable, but a genuine joy to read. Roundel may have lost a great one, but it got another great one in return.

Have Fun,
Rick

Thanks for your comments but there is no debate going on here over who was the better editor. It may be interesting for you to know that it was Yale who pushed to hire Satch as a columnist for Roundel after Satch left AutoWeek. Yale approached the board with the idea and was Satch's chief proponent during the ensuing discussion toward the decision. It's safe to say if it weren't for Yale, Satch might not have had any relationship with Roundel or BMW CCA.

I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking of a debate, this is just the first opportunity I've had to give props to Satch since I've been a club member. I even read my post again, but if you think I was taking sides, I apologize.

Have Fun,
Rick

Not at all.
I was inferring from your post that perhaps you thought that's what we were doing!
But then you did say your comment was slightly off-topic. So regardless, no extra charge for that tidbit of Club history.

My position

In my opinion, this discussion started with my advocating that the BMW MOA should retain as much independence as possible from BMW AG or BMW NA and, specifically, to avoid mandated changes to club logos. In that light, if it came down to it, I would suggest that any club should take a "going-in" position of deleting any logo's which violate BMW's trademark rights. After that, it's a negotiation. In that negotiation the then current club leadership will come to some settlement with BMW, based on the leaderships perception of potential risks and rewards.

I raised the experience of the CCA move from Cambridge to SC as a case in point where a club leadership made a significant change based on real (cheaper real estate and labor (Mr. Marx's assertion) costs) and perceived (proximity to BMW Mfg and better conference/convention facilities). In Mr. Marx's opinion, the move was a success. The offices were moved, expanded and integrated in to a growing small urban area.

In my experience, I'm a member of BMW CCA that will probably not need to visit the CCA offices, but I have attempted to visit the Zentrum and BMW Mfg. The fact that I was treated very rudely by the BMW employees during that attempted visit, means that I will probably never repeat that trip and, therefore, place no value on the benefit of CCA's proximity to BMW MFG. Thus, to me, the benefit of CCA's move to SC is solely lower membership costs. Hopefully, the club leadership is mindful of that perspective and reserves the privilege to make future relocations of the office based on prevailing real estate and labor costs. As we all know, there is that additional $8 issue this year.

Now, my request for Yale Rachlin's old letter-to-the-editor response was to highlight the point that the proximity benefit is likely to be temporary. The BMW MFG facility is an off-shore production facility for BMW AG. As such, the corporation was/is outsourcing production to a lower production cost country that offers a stable business enviroment. Yale's point/caution to the letter writer (who was beaming about BMW's selection of SC) was extremely rational; the SC facility would remain until the day someplace else (Brazil, Mexico, China, Mississippi, etc.) becomes more attractive. In my opinion, on that day, CCA's perceived benefit of proximity to BMW MFG will vanish (assuming that they don't relocate with the plant).

That is my position and I understand that it has upset some people. However, it does illustrate the point that club leadership decisions include real and perceived benefits, but may also set precedents. And, no matter what, there will be disagreement. But, I would still probably buy Mr. Marx a beer and ask about some of his toys

I'm happy to end the discussion.